Garmin GPS Tips & Tricks

During our recent SR!
tours of Oregon, a number of riders had issues reading their GPS
files. If you've been navigating routes with a Garmin GPS for a
number of years, perhaps we won't be telling you anything new here,
but if you're new to GPS, you may find this helpful.

Frustration #1 - When I load a
route into the GPS, all I see are the waypoints and not the route
lines.

Solution A
- Garmin has done a remarkable job of lowering the prices on their
GPSs in order to compete in the auto market. Today you can get a eTrex for just $300. But it won't allow you to upload and read
routes. Not just yet. Most of Garmin's lines (60 series, eTrex
etc...) other than the Zumo line will not route until you spend more
money and purchase a version of their high-end MapSource
Software such as City Navigator or Topo, which will run you $139. You thought you were getting a deal and in fact you still are.

Attention Nuvi owners. When it comes to uploading routes, your device is not going to function as you need it to. While it will allow you to export your trip log, you cannot upload routes, tracks or trip logs and view them. You would need to upgrade to a device that allows such functions, like a Zumo, Colorado, Montana, Oregon and so on. If you are planning to use a GPS during one of our events (Road Trip, Sasquatch, Rally in the Gorge) - a Nuvi can't provide the routing capabilities you need.

The route lines should follow the road in both your
MapSource software as well as in your GPS.

Once you get the
software, you must download it onto your computer, register and unlock it,
then upload the detailed map sets you need into your GPS. Now you
can read a route someone else has created.

And don't be fooled
when Garmin tells you that the GPS comes with all the maps loaded
already. That may be so, but until you pay the additional rate, you
will not be able unlock your units ability to read custom routes.

Solution B
- Zumo owners read this. When you are provided a route (like the one
you can download above), you must import the "custom route" before
you can read it. If you do not, all you will see are straight lines
leading from one waypoint to another. Once imported, the route
should be visible under:

tools/custom routes

Frustration #1B - I can't seem to load the route file from the software into the GPS?

Newer model Garmins may not allow you to do this via City Navigator or BaseCamp. The work around is simple. Attach the GPS to your computer. When the window showing the GPS files opens, locate where other GPX Files are stored. Using your City Navigator or BaseCamp software, "Save As" the route file you have to the GPX format and then copy that file into the folder with the other GPX files.

Now your GPS will advise you you have new routes that need to be imported, Answer yes.

Frustration #2 - The GPS told me
to turn down a walking trail and I don't want to go that way.

When individuals
create custom routes, they do it with one of two routing preference
options provided in the MapSource Software, 'Fastest' or 'Shortest'.
If I create the route using the 'Fastest' and your GPS has a routing
preference set at 'Shortest,' then it's anyone's guess where you're
going to wind up next. This usually makes for some good storytelling
later in the day. But if you want to be sure you're going where
you're supposed to go, be sure to check with the route provider as
to which preference was used in creating the custom route.

Zumo and models after: tools/settings/navigation/route preference

Pre-Zumo models setup/routing/follow road method

Frustration #3 - I got to the
National Park entrance and the GPS told me to make a U-turn rather
than continue into the park.

Garmin's latest
firmware provides for 'Seasonal Closures' and knows many roads that
are closed in the winter. Look through your routing options and
remove the checkmark for seasonal closures under 'Avoidances' in
your navigation options. In fact, if you're going to be using
someone else's route, uncheck all the avoidances.

Zumo and models after: tools/settings/navigation/avoidances

Pre-Zumo models setup/routing/follow road options

Frustration #4 - I pulled out for
gas and my GPS re-routed me. Thus I missed all the cool stuff.

Most Garmin units ship
with 'Recalculation Mode' set to 'Auto' which will screw up a
perfectly good route just about every time you get off it. In
motorcycle touring, getting off the route is common, so don't let
your GPS throw you for a loop (sometimes literally). Instead, change
the setting from 'Auto' to 'Off' (my preference) or 'Prompted' which
will advise you you are off the route.

Frustration #5 - Someone has
played a rotten trick on me and set the verbal commands in my Zumo from English
to Cantonese. Now I'm totally lost.

Someone in your party
knows how to use your GPS better than you. Visit:

Zumo and models after: tools/settings/language/voice

and choose the
language character that is more to your liking.

And remember - you're
on a motorcycle ride. Listening to your GPS, music and other
distracting noises (like that 102 db loud pipe in front of you) takes
away from the concentration you need to ride your bike the best you
can. Consider disabling the voice commands all together.

Frustration #6 - My GPS memory is
full - Now what?

Time to clean it out. It's a good idea to start each ride
with a clean GPS memory. Using City Navigator, open a blank file.
Connect your GPS to your computer with a USB Cable. Download all
your tracks, routes and waypoints from your unit. Then save the file
with a name like "JUL11 Dump." Now load just the routes,
tracks and waypoints you need for the next journey.

Frustration #7 - My maps are out of
date.

With your GPS plugged into your
computer, go to the Garmin website and download the tool that will
sniff both your software and GPS to see what version maps you have.
If they are out of date, update them. If they ask you to pay to do
that, buy the Lifetime subscription which only costs a few dollars
more. You can roll it over to another unit later if you upgrade.

While you're at it, have the site
check your firmware and upgrade that as well if needed. That's free.

Frustration #8 - I created a route,
but it didn't route as planned when I hit the road.

Depending on what software and unit
you use this can happen, and when it does it's not nice. To insure
you know what the original route you planned in the computer is, use
a third party software like WinGDB to rip your routes to tracks
(with a max of no more than 500 track points).
Then be sure to upload those into your GPS at the same time you
upload the routes. Color code your new tracks differently from the
routes. If the routes are magenta, use green for the tracks. When
there's a difference in the routing, you'll know just by looking and
can follow the track rather than the changed route.

Beginning in August 2011, all the GPS
file discs we create now have both routes and tracks included.
Routes are in magenta, tracks are in green.

Frustration #9 - I own a GPS other
than a Garmin. How do I read the routes?

Frustration #10 - I got a file with
a lot of routes in it. How do I load just the routes I want for
today?

Create a new file called something
like TodaysRide. With it open, open a new window with the original
file you want the routes from. Copy and paste just the routes and
tracks you want from there over to TodaysRide. The waypoints will
follow automatically!

Got more confusion about GPS?
Email
us your questions and perhaps we'll run a part two.

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